Simon Langley’s LIA Diary Wrap-up: “Before long you’re very aware: you’re in Sin City”
Simon Langley, Group Chief Creative Officer at Bastion represented Australia on the LIA Creative Strategy jury. Langley, along with many other Australian and New Zealand jurors, reports exclusively for CB.
Vegas, baby. Twenty years have passed since I was last in Las Vegas – and remarkably, it felt exactly the same. The moment you hit the Strip, the sensory overload kicks in. Step inside the hotel and the casino soundtrack surrounds you. You clock a few people who’ve clearly had a long night at the tables, and before long, you’re very aware: you’re in Sin City.
This year’s LIA took place at the Encore, and I have to say it was incredibly well run. I served on the Creative Strategy jury, which was a unique and enjoyable experience, and the most diverse jury I’ve been part of, with CEOs, strategists, and creatives all bringing different perspectives. The variety of viewpoints made for rich debate about how to judge creative strategy and, ultimately, about which work deserved to rise to the top.
Having judged shows like D&AD and Cannes, two things about LIA stood out, both to me, and my fellow jurors. First, there’s no pre-judging. Every piece of work is viewed together, given equal attention, and voted “in” or “out” before we arrived at the shortlist. Entrants rest assured: your work truly gets its best chance. Second, the brilliant Creative LIAisons initiative, which brings young people from around the world into the festival. They immerse themselves in creativity, attend workshops and talks, and, most powerfully, sit in the room with us on the final day as we awarded the metals. They saw the work, how it was submitted, and heard the discussions that led to celebration or dismissal. It was rewarding for us, and invaluable for them.
The strongest, most breakthrough strategies shone through, especially in the Long-Term Creative Strategy category, a personal highlight. In a world often obsessed with short-term results, I was encouraged to see this category not only attract the biggest shortlist but also produce the very best work. These were brands consistently pushing boundaries, creating campaigns that actually made me a little jealous.
The results spoke volumes. Brave clients who stuck with bold, long-term strategies reaped genuine rewards. The Dove campaign needs no introduction – more than 20 years of brilliant work that transformed a humble soap brand into a $6 billion business. The Libresse long-term case study was another standout – incredibly brave, deeply impactful, and powerfully crafted, even after initially being banned for its confronting storytelling. The clients and agencies who persevered should be proud. The craft was next-level, inspiring me to push harder and do better in the work for our clients back home.
All in all, it was an awesome experience. Huge thanks to Terry, Barbara, and the team for making it such a memorable and inspiring week.
Photo credit: ChatGPT. Elvis was definitely not in the building.